Just Fun And Games
by Mystery of the Emblem
Summary: What Princess Katerina finds as fun, Laslow does not. He does not mind keeping an eye on Xander's daughter while everyone works, but he does not like chasing her through the castle!


**I have been working on something, and yet I wanted something cute and quick. This had actually started off as a Xander bonding with his newborn daughter thing, and yet it wound up evolving into a game between a young Katerina and Laslow.**

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A castle can be a big place for a little girl, even a little princess. Some may find it intimidating while others might find fun in it. And when your mother, father, uncle, brother, and cousin were all busy or training, a little princess had to find _some_ form of amusement. The easiest, and to her the most funny thing ever, was annoying Laslow, who was often put in charge of her. She liked Laslow, but she also liked seeing him flustered.

She had found her chance that morning after breakfast as Laslow offered to take her to see the ponies in the stable. She had not wanted a pony. She wanted a Pegasus, ever since going to Hoshido. The plush one her brother had won her during a Hoshidan festival, and the one picked out in small colored beads on the bodice of her light blue gown, made specifically for her by her cousin Forrest, were not the same as a _real_ Pegasus. And she had no interest in ponies that had no wings. As Laslow walked with her to the stable, trying to assure her that ponies could be just as fine as a flying horse, she had slipped away from him.

Her muted giggles turned into full laughter as she heard Laslow's exasperated cry of "My lady!" as she hurried away from him. She hurried down the long corridors and ducked past a maid carrying a freshly washed basket of sheets. She cried out herself as Katerina slid between her and the wall. As she turned the corner, she bumped into someone.

"Running away from Laslow again? How naughty."

Katerina stopped and stared at Niles, one of her uncle's retainers, over the silky wings of the plush Pegasus. Would he tell on her? After a pause, he smirked and gestured to a cloth covered table. She smiled and managed to give him a tiny word of thanks. She hid under the table and waited.

Almost immediately, she heard Laslow's footsteps approach. "Niles, have you seen Katerina?"

"Can't say that I have. What, have you lost her again?" Niles clucked his tongue. "King Xander won't be too thrilled to hear that."

Laslow groaned aloud and hurried away, muttering things under his breath that made Niles laugh. Katerina squirmed out from under the table and hurried off after Laslow. She could have ran further from him, perhaps to the kitchens to see if they had any of that sweet, sticky bread they had served that morning, but there would be more fun for her if _she_ could catch _Laslow_ for once.

She held her Pegasus close and tried to hold in her giggles as she hurried as quickly and quietly as she could after Laslow.

He had slowed his pace. He now walked and would pause to listen for her, knowing she could not get too far from him. She crept closer to him, excited now at the idea of chasing Laslow instead of him running all over the castle after her. Unfortunately for the young princess, it was just too hard to hold in her giggles.

Laslow turned and spotted her, with a look of relief on his face. "There you are!" he said with a sigh of relief. He started to walk towards her, but she smiled and ran off in the direction she had originally came. _"Princess Katerina!"_ he cried. She hurried down twisting and turning corridors with Laslow in pursuit. Though he could keep up, she was smaller and could pass people and objects in ways he could not.

As Katerina turned another corner, she saw Peri. "Good morning, Peri," she called breathlessly. She was starting to tire.

Peri started to greet her, but when she saw Laslow, she started to laugh. She laughed even harder when Laslow called out, "Peri, _Peri grab her!"_

Peri decided to let the young princess get away though she could have stopped her. Laslow could only spare her a moment's disbelieving look. "She's having fun, Laslow," she pointed out.

"This is not fun!"

"It is to her," she called as Laslow continued on with Katerina's game.

By that time, Katerina's laughter had slowed. She took a second to consider the stairs. Going up them was slow for her. But if she could get to the top without Laslow seeing, he probably would not look for her up there first. She started slowly, carefully up the stairs. As she climbed, she tried to hang onto her skirts and Pegasus. Forrest would be hurt if she got the dress he made her dirty. But in her haste, she did not realize her small hands could not hold everything.

Her Pegasus slipped from her fingers and bounced down the stairs. She turned and watched it, her bottom lip starting to tremble, as it bounced off one step, then another, and landed right by Laslow's boot. He bent to retrieve it with a warm smile.

"All right, little princess," he began gently, "come get your Pegasus. You and I both seem to be getting a little tired."

Katerina paused on the stairs. "So you win," she said softly.

"Do you truly enjoy making me run after you all day?" When she nodded, Laslow's smile widened. "Just say so, then! When you run off, you frighten me." It was more the idea of being punished if anything happened to her that frightened him, but Laslow would never tell Katerina that. He chuckled and started up the stairs. When he reached her, he handed her back her beloved toy and picked her up.

"If you want to run around, we'll run around. Safely, of course. Right now, how about we look at the ponies?"

Katerina sighed and rested her head against Laslow's shoulder. "But I don't want a pony," she objected.

"You father wants you to start riding," Laslow explained. "And the easiest way of doing that is a pony." Katerina's answer was only another sigh. He carried her to the stables, where three small ponies had waited for her. King Xander had even gone out of his way to assure that there was a white pony with the brown one and the black one, hoping a white horse would be a decent enough replacement for a Pegasus.

Katerina did reach out to pet her, but she was not interested in any of them. They were gentle, patient ponies, but they did not have wings. Laslow could not talk Katerina into riding one, not even for a little while. After several minutes, she squirmed impatiently, then asked if they could play a game of hide and seek.

Laslow put her down and asked, "Shall I start counting then?" Katerina laughed and ran off. Laslow shook his head, chuckled, and started to count.


End file.
